If you are a researcher dreaming of a few quiet months where your only job is your own project — no teaching load, no admin, no committee meetings — the FRIAS Fellowship is exactly that. The Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies, the research college of the University of Freiburg, hands scholars up to ten months of fully funded research time in one of Germany's oldest university towns. It is competitive, the money is genuinely good, and it works for both early-career and established researchers.
In short: The FRIAS Fellowship Programmes fund 3–10 months of dedicated research at the University of Freiburg for early-career and senior researchers worldwide, plus a dedicated stream for African-based humanities scholars. The 18 September 2026 deadline has passed, so this article is your preparation guide for the next call, expected in summer 2027.
● Applications Closed
Quick Overview
- Host Country: Germany
- Host Institution: Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (FRIAS), University of Freiburg
- Degree Level: Postdoctoral researchers (PhD required)
- Program Duration: 4–10 months (Early Career), 3–8 months (Senior), 6 months (Sustainable Governance for Africa)
- Funding Type: Fully funded — fellowship contract, travel, research costs
- Deadline: 18 September 2026, 13:00 CET (closed); next call expected summer 2027
Benefits of the FRIAS Fellowship
This is not a grant you stretch from your home office. FRIAS is a full package designed around one thing: uninterrupted research time. Here is what fellows actually get:
- Fellowship contract worth around €5,300/month — Early Career fellows typically receive a full-time employment contract with the University of Freiburg (roughly €5,300 per month before tax and social security), or a teaching-replacement reimbursement if you keep your home institution's contract.
- Research cost contribution — Extra funding toward your project's direct costs, on top of the monthly pay.
- Travel and mobility allowance — Your inbound and outbound travel to Freiburg is covered, with a mobility allowance on top.
- Furnished office space — You get a real desk at the institute, not a hot desk in a corridor.
- Full library and facility access — The University of Freiburg's research infrastructure, libraries, and labs are open to you.
- Interdisciplinary research community — FRIAS runs seminars, workshops, and cross-field discussions with fellows from all disciplines and nationalities.
Eligibility Criteria for the FRIAS Fellowship
There are three separate streams, and each has its own bar. Read them carefully, because FRIAS applies these as hard filters:
Early Career Fellowship Programme:
- Completed PhD within the last 8 years — Your doctoral degree must be finished, and no more than eight years of postdoctoral experience at the time of application. Family, medical, or non-academic breaks don't count toward the eight years.
- International research experience — At least six months of research or study at an academic institution in a country different from where you earned your first academic degree.
- Publication record — At least four peer-reviewed publications since 1 January 2022.
- Hostable project — Your research must be supportable at the University of Freiburg, with international relevance.
- Experimental scientists — Must name a host laboratory in Freiburg, submit a letter of support, and include an experiment sketch with a timetable.
Senior Fellowship Programme:
- Completed PhD with 8+ years of postdoctoral experience — For established researchers with a long track record.
- Ten peer-reviewed publications since January 2020 — A substantially stronger publication requirement.
- International research experience — At least six months abroad at an academic institution.
- All disciplines — Any field that can be hosted at the University of Freiburg, from humanities to natural sciences.
Sustainable Governance Senior Fellowship (for researchers from Africa):
- Based at an African institution — Open to any nationality, but you must be based in an African country.
- Master's or PhD earned in Africa — An explicit requirement of this stream.
- Completed PhD with 8+ years of postdoctoral experience.
- Five peer-reviewed publications since January 2017.
- Letter of Cooperation — From a professor at the University of Freiburg, secured before you apply.
- Discipline restriction — Only humanities and social sciences with a thematic focus on sustainable governance.
How to Apply for the FRIAS Fellowship
Everything happens online through the FRIAS application system. Here is the sequence:
1. Pick your stream — Decide between Early Career, Senior, or Sustainable Governance based on your career stage and discipline. You cannot mix streams. 2. Read the application manual — FRIAS publishes a detailed application manual for each stream. It spells out exact formatting rules for the proposal. Read it before you write a word. 3. Write your project proposal — Maximum 3,000 words including everything, with at most 4 graphs, following the manual's fixed structure (research field and abstract; aims, theory, and methodology; work plan and feasibility; innovation and originality; research ethics). 4. Prepare your CV with the mandatory template — FRIAS requires its own CV template; a generic CV will not do. 5. Line up your extras — Early Career applicants need contact details for two academic evaluators; experimental scientists need the host lab letter of support; Sustainable Governance applicants need the Freiburg professor's Letter of Cooperation. 6. Fill the online form — Project abstract, layman's abstract, ethical issues table, and motivation statement are entered directly into the form. 7. Upload everything as English PDFs — All documents must be in English and PDF format. 8. Submit before the deadline — Late or incomplete applications are not considered. Aim to submit a few days early.
After submission, applications go through a highly competitive, merit-based peer review. Expect a success rate around 5% for the Early Career and Senior streams and around 10% for the Sustainable Governance stream.
Required Documents
- Project proposal (maximum 3,000 words, all in English, PDF)
- CV using the mandatory FRIAS template
- Publication list
- Copy of PhD diploma
- Contact details of two academic evaluators (Early Career)
- Letter of support from host laboratory (experimental scientists)
- Experiment sketch and timetable (experimental scientists)
- Letter of Cooperation from a University of Freiburg professor (Sustainable Governance)
FRIAS Fellowship Deadline
The 2027/28 call closed on 18 September 2026 at 13:00 CET. The official FRIAS pages now mark the calls as closed, and the institute has announced that the next call for applications is expected to open in summer 2027 for the 2028/29 fellowship year. If this programme suits your career, the honest advice is to start your proposal and your publication list now — with a ~5% success rate, this is a proposal you refine over months, not days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the FRIAS Fellowship really fully funded?
Yes. Fellows receive a fellowship contract worth roughly €5,300 per month before tax (Early Career), or equivalent compensation, plus travel, a mobility allowance, a research cost contribution, and furnished office space. It is a genuine salary-level fellowship, not a small grant.
Who can apply for the FRIAS Fellowship?
Researchers of all nationalities and disciplines, as long as they hold a completed PhD and their project can be hosted at the University of Freiburg. The Sustainable Governance stream additionally requires you to be based at an African institution and work in humanities or social sciences.
Is there an age limit?
No age limit is stated. What matters is your "academic age" — achievements are judged against how long you have been post-PhD, and time spent on family, medical, or non-academic reasons is excluded from the eight-year Early Career cap.
Can I apply without a PhD?
No. A completed doctoral degree is a hard requirement for all three streams.
What is the success rate?
Around 5% for the Early Career and Senior streams and around 10% for the Sustainable Governance stream. This is one of Europe's most competitive fellowships, so your proposal and publication record need to be genuinely strong.
Do I need to know German?
No. Applications are entirely in English, and FRIAS is an international research environment. German is not required.
Can I bring my family?
The official pages focus on the fellow's funding. Fellows do relocate to Freiburg for full-time presence, and many past fellows have brought families — but family costs are not separately funded, so budget for this yourself.
Is fieldwork outside Freiburg funded?
No. FRIAS notes that fieldwork conducted outside Freiburg cannot be funded during the fellowship, and full-time presence at the institute is mandatory.
Can I reapply if I was rejected before?
Yes, nothing in the official rules bars reapplication. Many successful fellows applied in a previous round; use the feedback to strengthen your proposal.
When is the next call?
The 2027/28 call closed on 18 September 2026. The next call is expected to open in summer 2027 for the 2028/29 fellowship year. Subscribe to the FRIAS calls newsletter so you don't miss the announcement.
Final Words
The FRIAS Fellowship is one of those rare programmes that gives researchers what they actually need most: time. If your project and your track record are ready, a fellowship year in Freiburg can reshape your career. Start preparing now, because the next call will open before you know it.
